It started out with an invitation to fill out an application, followed by a telephone interview – which ultimately landed me a spot with over 400 attendees plucked out of obscurity from every corner of the world of Facebook users.

This most-coveted summit is held yearly, and for the first time, Facebook hosted it in its headquarters in Menlo Park, San Francisco. Attendees included community leaders, small business owners and several social media influencers, all of whom had one thing in common: The ability to galvanize people around a common cause.

The team at Facebook orchestrated the most efficient planning exercise where every invited guest was instructed to secure flights to and from the three-day summit, including accommodations. All of this, including meals, was at the expense of Facebook Inc. Every guest was flown into San Francisco and shuttled to one of three hotels, which included the Pullman Hotel, the Westin and the Hilton.

Immediately upon arrival at our respective hotels, we were shuttled to the Facebook Headquarters, which was 40 minutes from the hotels, for a welcome reception that none of us will ever forget. At our meal, hosted by our summit facilitators, new friendships began to form with all the guests among all the guests.

As excited as we all were, we couldn’t shake the impostor syndrome we all suffered. This uneasy feeling was put to rest when in all the merry making, the vice president of business development and product partnerships, Ime Archibong, took to the microphone. ‘’Just to be very crystal clear with everyone who has that question in their head, someone handpicked you at Facebook. You were handpicked because of your story. The communities you have created have been inspiring us and the programs and products we are building. Have no question why you are here or whether you belong here.’’

This message was repeated several times throughout the summit, helping us all to settle in our new spaces ready to absorb the lessons to be learned. We were also privileged to have Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, and Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer, join us to share words of encouragement.

Mark Zuckerberg at the Facebook Communities summit.(Photo: Submitted)

Why were we there? What were we brought to learn?

The various community leaders represented were invited to learn about the new tools Facebook would be implementing in the coming months to increase the effective nature of the Facebook communities built by the attendees. What does this look like? Mentorship options, subscription plan-based tools and simplified messaging.

What do these do? The new tools coming to Facebook will help community leaders manage their groups and group members as well as create a more functional online workspace for the user to connect with others and their causes.

How does this new information translate into how I’ll be implementing these findings for the benefit of our community? We are announcing a new online Facebook community named after Gusa By Victoria LLC, which is the entity, with the help of the support of the people of York County, that put York on the map of the Facebook Community.

We will be launching Gusa Connect, an online community for those in and around York to foster a more inclusive community that celebrates heritage, culture, sexual orientation and everything that makes us all different yet the same. The tools introduced to the summit attendees are the same tools I will be using in this online community to strengthen the global community at large through the resources that will be shared amongst us. In addition, the other tools introduced during the summit, a blood donation notification feature and fundraising tools for nonprofits on Instagram, will be available to everyone who uses Facebook in the coming months.

To say that the summit was very informative is an understatement. I came away with a deeper understanding of the importance of being of service of others. It is the one thing that has been instrumental in bringing us all together and solving global problems because of the help of those around us. For all the successes Facebook has had to date, they were quick to acknowledge their shortcomings and are committed to solving the problems that landed them in controversy in the recent months.

Logan Akio Jonhston and Victoria Kageni-Woodard at the Facebook Communities summit. Akio Jonhston is the community manger at Facebook and is responsible for Community Leadership circles from Facebook.(Photo: Submitted)

All the attendees were requested to bring with them an item to exchange with other attendees as a token of remembrance and appreciation for one another. I brought with me a glass blown palm created by Harry B. Smith III of the Antiquita Glassworks. The glass piece is a symbol of peace and represents the diverse people of York, Pennsylvania. In it is a clear glass heart with an etched map of York County. This precious item found its home in Lake County, Indiana with Jennifer Cosenza who was moved by message behind it and delighted to be its new owner. I brought home with me a pair of T-shirts from Emprendiendo a la Buena, a digital marketing education community in Mexico.

My visit to the Facebook Communities Summit through the generosity of a remarkable company whose sole purpose is to bring people together was a life-changing experience. I will always remember them and all the friends I made with fondness and gratitude. We have all returned home changed and ready to bring positive change to our respective communities.

Victoria Kageni-Woodard is the owner of Gusa by Victoria in York City.

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Audra Way, left, holds Chelsea Williams, 7, prior to Chelsea's dad performing at the Gusa Music Fest, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

Kent Nazareth, originally from the Caribbean, now a Lancaster resident, watches JL and Friends perform, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

John Beck, of York, listens to music play at the park while offering free hugs to passersby, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

Buster, a nine-year old English bulldog, walks through foundry park during the music festival, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

People watch from above as JL and Friends perform along Codorus, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

Children draw with chalk while listening to music during the Gusa Music Festival, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

JL and Friends perform during the final day of the Gusa Music Festival, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

People lounge in the grassy shade while watching JL and Friends perform during the final day of the Gusa Music Festival, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

JL and Friends perform during the final day of the Gusa Music Festival, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record

JL and Friends perform during the final day of the Gusa Music Festival, Saturday, June 16, 2018. The Gusa World Music Festival had its inaugural weekend at Foundry Park in York City Friday and Saturday. Ty Lohr, York Daily Record